[backdate?] Parents fight to save Streatham Vale nursery

Parents in Streatham Vale are campaigning to save their local nursery after it closed its doors in March citing a budget shortfall.

Sprig Ludens Nursery, Streatham Vale, had previously served a relatively deprived area, and had been praised for the quality of its outdoor space.

Parents criticised nursery operator the Streatham Youth & Community Trust (SYTC) for what they see as the poor way it handled the closure.

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: “The constant miscommunication, lack of accountability, lack of transparency has just wound up the community even more in a period where we’re already in turmoil, our kids are distressed because their routine is out of whack.”

SYTC said finances played only a partial role in the decision.

The charity, which runs after-school and youth services in Streatham, said it lacked experience to provide quality services.

Streatham MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said: “I was really sorry to hear about the decision to permanently close Sprig Ludens, a unique nursery which was rare at the price point and also crucially served a less affluent area of the borough.”

After consultation with staff and parents, SYTC said it would try to stay open to mid-July.

As part of these discussions the charity contacted parents to ask whether they would be able to increase their notice period from one to two months.

Ultimately, the contract period was not changed.

Sprig Ludens closed for good on 20 March, blaming this on problems that included issues with recruitment.

SYTC CEO Sylvia Tijmstra said: “It was a really difficult decision, particularly having to close with very short notice.

“Ultimately we need to make sure that children are safe.”

The charity said they have the site on a peppercorn lease from Lambeth Council to provide free stay and play, after-school services and holiday provision.

These will continue, with SYTC arguing these services cater to a much wider age group for the community surrounding the park.

The charity said it has been approached by private providers to run a nursery from the site.

However, it argued so far all proposals would conflict with SYTC’s provision of its other services.

One member of the local community said SYTC should have more imagination in how to uses the space, and could have done more to fundraise and promote the nursery.

They also argued the presence of the nursery in the park has helped make the park feel safer than it was in the past.

Parents also pointed to the peppercorn lease structure as proof of the nursery’s financial viability, arguing SYTC has used the national childcare crisis as a scapegoat.

The charity held an open day on 27 April to consult on the future of the site.

SYTC announced this month Tijmstra would be stepping down as CEO.

Nurseries have seen record closures in recent years in the wake of anaemic funding from central government.

CEO of the Early Years Alliance Neil Leitch said: “Government’s own admission is that they’ve underfunded the sector literally for a decade.

“I talk to managers of settings and owners of settings who have been in this sector for literally decades, and they are absolutely heartbroken when they can no longer operate.

“So, I get it, but that’s the reality of underinvestment and underappreciation.”